Mt. Morris, NY December 29, 2011 - Workers at Hilltop Industries are hopeful that 2012 will be a year of many happy returns.

The private, not-for-profit vocational services offshoot of The Arc of Livingston-Wyoming will formally introduce Hilltop Bottle and Can Return, a redemption center located at 5 East State Street in Mount Morris, at a grand opening scheduled for 10:00am Wednesday, January 11th. According to Hilltop Program Director Kellie Kennedy, the new venture is part of Hilltop's ongoing effort to offer eco-friendly services while providing gainful employment opportunities for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.

"Of course, the primary intention is to create meaningful jobs for people with disabilities in our community," Kennedy says. "Entering the bottle and can redemption business is also in line with Hilltop's commitment to recycling and the environment."

Kennedy points out that Hilltop has also migrated to environmentally friendly cleaning products for its Janitorial Services contacts, and in 2009 opened Finders Keepers, a thrift store on Main Street, Mount Morris that specializes in repurposing quality used goods that might otherwise become landfill fodder.

It's fitting, then, that Hilltop Bottle and Can Return isn't only a recycling business, it's also a recycled business.

Until recently, Ivan Davis, owner of Grizzly's Custom Cutting, had operated a bottle and can redemption center at 30 East State Street, almost directly across the street from Hilltop's sheltered workshop and administrative headquarters at 3 East State Street. When Davis decided to exit the business, Kennedy and her team worked with their neighbor to absorb it and lay the foundation for Hilltop Bottle and Can Return.

Next, Hilltop maintenance crews took to work, transforming a modest free-standing structure located between the workshop and Transportation Center on the Hilltop campus into the bottle and can redemption center. Their motivation: to watch those nickels add up.

In New York State, redemption centers such as Hilltop Bottle and Can Return receive a handling fee of 8.5 cents for every bottle or can that they reroute to its source. So, after returning the nickel deposit to the customer, they bank 3.5 cents per bottle. For Hilltop, more bottles and cans would equal more opportunity for people with disabilities, Kennedy reasoned.

At anticipated volumes, Kennedy expects that the redemption center will be able to employ 3-4 people with disabilities, supported by one "Job Coach," a direct support professional paid by Hilltop Industries to oversee the center. Redemption center hours will be 10:00am-5:00pm Monday through Friday, and 9:00am-1:00pm on Saturdays.

Through its work and rehabilitation programs, Hilltop Industries serves about 350 individuals with disabilities annually. Workers for Hilltop Bottle and Can Return were selected through an application and interview process overseen by Hilltop Coordinator of Vocational and Day Services Judy Welch. Welch, who also oversaw the training of new redemption center employees, describes the selection process as "challenging but rewarding."

"There was a ton of interest and enthusiasm about the new jobs at Hilltop Bottle and Can Return," Welch explains. "We had many candidates, but these are highly specialized jobs. To be successful, workers need a strong sense of organization, math skills, and as a focus on customer service."

Rose Nehrbass has been employed by Hilltop Industries for one month and previously worked as a custodian for 18 years at Geneseo Central School. Her new job at the redemption center involves collecting returnables from customers, and sorting them by brand. Hilltop accepts all brands of New York State returnables. Rose's accuracy is critical because Hilltop has agreements with three different routers, and each accepts only certain brands of recyclables.

"The job isn't easy, but I like the variety of tasks it offers," Rose says. "I get to use counting and sorting skills and especially like using the cash register. I look forward to meeting and helping our customers."

Hilltop Marketing and Sales Manager Rebecca Crocker stresses that volume will be the key to the new business' success, and that Hilltop workers such as Rose are prepared to go the extra mile to create customer loyalty.

Crocker explains that Hilltop Bottle and Can Return will provide an alternative for customers who tire of standing in line to feed containers one at a time into a machine that could fill up or break down. Customers in a hurry can also drop off their recyclables and return at their convenience to collect their deposit money. And there are plans to provide pick-up service for larger quantities of returnables.

"Hilltop Bottle and Can Return will also offer fundraising opportunities, where every nickel from your returns can automatically benefit your favorite charity, church, school or community organization," Crocker adds. To create a drop-off account that will credit 5 cents per returnable item to the organization of your choice, visit www.HilltopBottleAndCanReturn.com.

"It's important that we provide a rich, fulfilling experience for customers, which will keep them coming back. We're confident that we'll do exactly that," Crocker concludes. "Try us once; we know you'll return."

Jim Milroy Named Vice President for Administration and Finance

GENESEO, N.Y. - Jim Milroy, a veteran financial administrator in higher education and municipal government, has been named vice president for administration and finance at SUNY Geneseo, effective July 1. Milroy, serving as Geneseo's assistant vice president for budget and financial analysis and government relations officer since 2006, succeeds Ken Levison, who is retiring after 26 years.

In addition to overseeing all financial operations of the college, including budgeting, accounting, procurement and student financial aid, Milroy will have administrative responsibility for human resources and payroll, grants management, facilities and planning, auxiliary services and government relations.

"I am delighted that Jim will be advancing to this crucial cabinet-level position for Geneseo," said Christopher C. Dahl, SUNY Geneseo president. "In these challenging economic times, we need someone who understands SUNY and understands the workings of New York state government. Jim Milroy is the person for the job."

Prior to joining Geneseo, Milroy was the commissioner of administration and finance for the City of Buffalo, where he was responsible for the development, oversight and performance of the city's $1 billion budget. In the position, he was chief administrative officer for more than 100 employees in seven divisions.

"I appreciate the honor of being selected to succeed Dr. Levison as the next vice president," said Milroy. "I look forward to building upon his legacy by working with the tremendously talented and hard-working people at Geneseo. Together we will continue to meet our financial challenges while providing our students the high quality education they deserve and have come to expect from the college."

Milroy is a 1981 graduate of SUNY Geneseo, where he majored in political science. He earned a master's degree in public policy and administration and his doctorate in political science, both at the University at Buffalo.

"Jim is a SUNY success story and a good example of the value of a liberal arts education," said Dahl. "He enjoys working with students and also has worked closely with the Livingston County Chamber of Commerce and other local economic development agencies."

Levison built a strong foundation of excellence in administration and finance during a career that spanned more than two decades at Geneseo

"I can't overstate the impact Ken Levison has had on helping us build Geneseo into one of the strongest public liberal arts colleges in the country," said Dahl. "His day-to-day engagement with the campus has been a strong cohesive force for the Geneseo community, and his thoughtful guidance on financial matters has been crucial, especially during tough economic times. I am deeply grateful for his tremendous contributions to the college and to higher education. He has served both with high distinction."

Contact:
David Irwin
Media Relations Manager
(585) 245-5516
Irwin@geneseo.edu

Finger Lakes Museum Announces Three-Part Program:

1. From the Brink of Extinction: The Bald Eagles of Hemlock & Canadice
2. Blue Blood to Blue Water: From Cottages, Hotels & Steamboats to Drinking Water for Rochester
3. Lakes Go Wild: Permanent Protection of Hemlock & Canadice Lakes

Program Locations & Dates:

• June 4, 16 & 23 at the Rochester Museum & Science Center, Einsenhart Auditorium, 657 East Avenue, Rochester NY
• July 2, 14 & 28 at Keuka College, Lightner Library, 141 Central Avenue, Keuka Park NY
• August 6, 18 & September 1 at Finger Lakes Wine Center in Ithaca, 237 South Cayuga Street, Ithaca NY

Click here for the press release ...

www.fingerlakesmuseum.org

Liberty the bald eagle and naturalist Paul Schnell

Liberty was born in the Kenai fijords region of south central Alaska in 1988. Sometime in July or August Liberty left her nest (fledged) and while learning to fly, hit a cliff perhaps, sustaining a broken wing that grounded her along the Kenai River for many weeks. Two fishermen found the emaciated eagle - weighing a mere seven pounds! - and drove her to the Arctic Animal Hospital in Anchorage hours away. There, Dr. James Scott and staff stabilized her wing and her health. In January 1989, after a year-long period of Federal and state approval, she was transferred to naturalist Paul Schnell for use in his education programs. Liberty and Paul together have crisscrossed New York for almost 23 years speaking on behalf of nature, that is, the critical need to preserve the planet's vanishing biodiversity, sensibly reduce human population and consumption and most importantly, to engage audiences to become involved in wildlife conservation - literally in one's own backyard. In captivity, bald eagles can live to 50 years.